Nachr. entomol. Ver. Apollo, N. F. 33 (2/3): 71–72 (2012) 71 Interspecific courtship solicitation by a female Danaus genutia Cramer, 1779 in the Sundarbans, West Bengal, India (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae, Danainae) Ovee Thorat and Peter Smetacek Ovee Thorat, Butterfly Research Centre, c/o B/502 Atlanta CHS, Mithagar Road, Kandarpada, Dahisar (West), Mumbai 400068, India;
[email protected] Peter Smetacek, Butterfly Research Centre, Jones Estate, Bhimtal 263 136, Uttarakhand, India;
[email protected] Abstract: The first instance of interspecific courtship soli 1), 5 individuals of D. melanippus indicus Fruhs tor fer, ci ta tion is reported between a female Danaus genutia and 1899 were observed within 3 hours (10:00 to 13:00 h) on a male Danaus melanippus on Henry’s Island, Sundarbans, the first day of a 2 day visit on 1./2. xii. 2010. All the West Bengal, India. individuals were seen singly at dif ferent locations during Keywords: Interspecific courtship solicitation; Danaus ge nu a 5 km walk through the fo r est bordering the sea. tia Cramer, 1779; Danaus melanippus indicus Fruhs tor fer, 1899. In addition, on two occasions, one individual of Da naus genutia was seen at each of two different lo ca tions. Zwischenartliche Paarungsaufforderung durch einen weiblichen Danaus genutia Cramer, 1779 in On the next day, there were two unconfirmed sight ings den Sundarbans, West-Bengal, Indien (Lepidoptera: of D. melanippus from the nearby Lothian Island. Nymphalidae, Danainae) Zusammenfassung: Zum ersten Mal wurde eine zwi schen Observations art liche Paarungsaufforderung durch ein Weibchen von D. melanippus was first sighted on Henry’s Island in Da naus genutia gegenüber einem Männchen von Danaus me lanippus auf Henry’s Island, Sundarbans, WestBengal, an open patch of mangrove forest with most of the In dien, beobachtet.